The cullens read breaking dawn during New moon
by Riku's Aria
Summary: the title pretty much says it all, Edward won't mope to much if I can help it E/B A/J Em/R C/Es
1. Chapter 1

Woooo... just a thought I had that no one else has done (I think)

Summary: during New moon Edward and the Cullen's read breaking dawn, what will their reactions be? O.o

**Prologue **

Edward Cullen sat in a dark dank attic in Brazil, he was contemplating his life and the choice he had made for Bella. She was human it was better for her to be among her own kind she would be save with them...right...?

Oh who was he kidding this was bella, the girl who was a biggest danger magnet he had ever seen. She was bound to get into trouble, what was he thinking leaving. The human part of himself then seemed to speak, "_but your the greatest danger..." _ Edward shuddered his breathing became more desperate even though he didn't need to, his arms wrapped around him as if trying to keep himself together but how could he do that if half of himself was missing.

RIIIIINGGGG!

...aaaaand he didn't need to be psychic to know that this is Alice he answered the phone.

"Alice please stop calling me."

"Edward you've got to come home to Carlisle and Esme now!" oh not this again...

"Look Alice I'm not going to fall for this again..." he was cut off.

"Edward LISTEN we've been given this book and it's about the future, BELLA'S future so hurry up here." She hung up.

Edward stared down at the phone in his hand. He knew this was too weird not to be real, Alice could see the future but was it really possible for someone to write a book about it. Edward suddenly froze the book could be in someone's point of view. If the book was about Bella all those unprotected thoughts, he could find out what her thoughts are going to be if she ever...if she ever moved on with her life as he had planned her to. Edward felt his dead heart break at that thought, he would never deserve her. But ...wait if they were sent this book then maybe something bad happens that they must stop!

Edward stood up for the first time he had in a week and left the attic he would have to hunt before he caught a plane.

';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;' ;.;';.;';.;';.;';.;'

Alice hung up the phone feeling a strange urge to cackle like a mad scientist, he husband sent her a weary look feeling her emotions. She looked over at Esme and smiled gently,

"He's on his way he should be here in a six and a half hours at least."

Esme smiled gratefully having missed her son, her eyes landed on the package on the table they hadn't opened it yet wanting to wait for Edward. So she would find out what kind of life her youngest daughter was living, she hoped with all her heart that Edward came to his senses and realized that Bella is his mate. She sighed and went to search for Carlisle.

;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;'.;'.;'.;'.;'.';.;';.;'.;'.;'.;';.';.;'.

_6 hours, 30 minutes and 2 seconds later._

Edward walked through the door and immediately a pair of skinny but strong arms enveloped him.

"your here! Your here! Come in quickly I want to start reading!"

She dragged him to a chair and forced him to sit down, Esme smiled at him and he smiled back but his face looked pained.

Rosalie flipped her hair over her shoulder, she really didn't want to be here she thought they were finally rid of the human. Emmett looked at his brother seriously,

"You look like crap Eddie-boy" he said simply hoping to get a reaction out of the blank vamp. Edward shrugged not really caring, Emmett face became worried he didn't even react to the nickname.

Carlisle broke the silence, "It's good to see you Edward, now Alice what is this book?" he wasn't the only one who felt that something was missing, or should we say someone.

Alice started bouncing in her seat, her husband smiled at her adoringly.

"It's a book about Bella's future we have to read this!" Edward winced at Bella's name and stared at the package on the table. Alice quickly ripped off the wrapping and read the back of the book.

"**Preface,"** Alice read.

**I'd had more than my fair share of near-death experiences;**

Edward sucked in a breath you mean there is more of them in the future.

**It wasn't something you ever really got used to.**

**It seemed oddly inevitable, though, facing death again. Like I really was marked for disaster. I'd escaped time and time again, but it kept coming back for me.**

Everyone exchanged panicked glances _(YES EVEN ROSALIE) _was Bella in that much danger Edward seemed to be holding in sobs his angel. Carlisle frowned what mess had they left her in.

**Still, this time was so different from the others.**

"Other times" Emmett said shocked he only knew of the one (james)

**You could run from someone you feared, you could try to fight someone you hated. All my reactions were geared toward those kinds of killers—the monsters, the enemies.**

**When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options.**

Edward frowned he had left so who was it she now loved, was it still him had he finally cracked and gone back to her begging for forgiveness or did someone else now own her heart. Whoever it is was killing her, Edward lowered his head this was his entire fault.

Everybody watched Edward not needing his power to know what he was thinking.

**How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give your beloved, how could you not give it?**

**If it was someone you truly loved?**

Edward let out a sob, Esme was immediately at his side pulling him to her chest. Jasper put his head in his hands feeling Edwards pain, his guilt deepened if only he had controlled himself none of this would have happened and he would be happy.

"That was just the prologue the first chapter I'll keep reading" Alice seemed to be moving things along quickly wanting the happier moments. She quickly hid her thoughts not wanting Edward to know that she had foreseen the first chapter.

**Chapter 1: Engaged...**...


	2. Chapter 2

_Yay chapter 1 isn't this exciting! Wow I need a life._

_I don't own twilight Stephanie Meyers does blab la blaaaaaaa!_

**Chapter 1: Engagement**

The family's breath caught, even though they didn't need it, quite a few of them had crossed their fingers hoping it was Edward. Edward felt his chest constrict _please don't make me read this please don't make me read this._

**No one is staring at you, I promised myself. No one is staring at you. No one is staring at you.**

"Their probably staring at you Bells" Emmett chuckled, everyone smiled softly at the book that reminded them of their favourite human. Minus Rosalie.

**But, because I couldn't lie convincingly even to myself, I had to check.**

**As I sat waiting for one of the three traffic lights in town to turn green, I peeked to the right—in her minivan; Mrs. Weber had turned her whole torso in my direction.**

"wow the truck must be in even worse condition than when we were there" Jasper said lightly.

Edwards head shot up, what if she got into an accident and he wasn't there to save her. She needed a new car.

**Her eyes bored into mine, and I flinched back, wondering why she didn't drop her gaze or look ashamed. It was still considered rude to stare at people, wasn't it? Didn't that apply to me anymore?**

**Then I remembered that these windows were so darkly tinted that she probably had no idea if it was even me in here, let alone that I'd caught her looking.**

**I tried to take some comfort in the fact that she wasn't really staring at me, just the car.**

**My car. Sigh.**

Rosalie leaned forward subconsciously, what car. Edward's head dropped it seemed whoever she was marrying was quite rich, he could keep her safe.

**I glanced to the left and groaned. Two pedestrians were frozen on the sidewalk, missing their chance to cross as they stared.**

"wow must be a really nice car!" said Emmett excited trying to clear the tension.

**Behind them, Mr. Marshall was gawking through the plate-glass window of his little souvenir shop. At least he didn't have his nose pressed up against the glass. Yet.**

**The light turned green and, in my hurry to escape, I stomped on the gas pedal without thinking—the normal way I would have punched it to get my ancient Chevy truck moving.**

If there was any doubt that this wasn't Bella's future it quickly disappeared. Rosalie huffed she was being violent to the car, it was new she had to be gentle.

**Engine snarling like a hunting panther, the car jolted forward so fast that my body slammed into the black leather seat and my stomach flattened against my spine.**

"**Arg!" I gasped as I fumbled for the brake. Keeping my head, I merely tapped the pedal. The car lurched to an absolute standstill anyway.**

**I couldn't bear to look around at the reaction. If there had been any doubt as to who was driving this car before, it was gone now.**

The family chuckled reminiscing, that girl really was clumsy.

**With the toe of my shoe, I gently nudged the gas pedal down one half millimetres, and the car shot forward again.**

**I managed to reach my goal, the gas station. If I hadn't been running on vapours, I wouldn't have come into town at all. I was going without a lot of things these days, like Pop-Tarts and shoelaces, to avoid spending time in public.**

Alice laughed sadly she really missed her best friend.

**Moving as if I were in a race, I got the hatch open, the cap off, the card scanned, and the nozzle in the tank within seconds. Of course, there was nothing I could do to make the numbers on the gauge pick up the pace.**

Edward chuckled, yeah now she wanted to drive fast, silly beautiful girl.

**They ticked by sluggishly, almost as if they were doing it just to annoy me.**

**It wasn't bright out—a typical drizzly day in Forks, Washington**

"she hasn't moved then" Esme said hopefully but quickly controlled her thoughts when Edward looked at her.

—**but I still felt like a spotlight was trained on me, drawing attention to the delicate ring on my left hand. At times like this, sensing the eyes on my back, it felt as if the ring were pulsing like a neon sign: Look at me, look at me.**

"She doesn't want to be engaged" Alice said in confusion.

"Bella's parents are divorced she doesn't think marriages work out, she must really... love this man if she agreed to marry him." Edward spoke quietly but the pain was present in his voice.

**It was stupid to be so self-conscious, and I knew that. Besides my dad and mom, did it really matter what people were saying about my engagement? About my new car? About my mysterious acceptance into an Ivy League college?** **About the shiny black credit card that felt red-hot in my back pocket right now?**

"So this man is rich" Carlisle said sneaking a quick glance at Edward.

"**Yeah, who cares what they think," I muttered under my breath.**

"**Um, miss?" a man's voice called.**

**I turned, and then wished I hadn't.**

**Two men stood beside a fancy SUV with brand-new kayaks tied to the top.**

**Neither of them was looking at me; they both were staring at the car.**

**Personally, I didn't get it. But then, I was just proud I could distinguish between the symbols for Toyota, Ford, and Chevy. This car was glossy black, sleek, and pretty, but it was still just a car to me.**

Rosalie looked disgusted she needed more details than that, Edward shook his head fondly.

"**I'm sorry to bother you, but could you tell me what kind of car you're driving?" the tall one asked.**

"**Um, a Mercedes, right?"**

Rosalie groaned as if she needed another reason to dislike the girl.

"**Yes," the man said politely while his shorter friend rolled his eyes at my answer.**

"**I know. But I was wondering, is that… are you driving a Mercedes Guardian?"**

All the car fanatics in the room gasped, Rose almost wished that Edward went back to the human...almost.

**The man said the name with reverence. I had a feeling this guy would get along well with Edward Cullen**

Everyone exchanged glances, everyone who approved of Bella started smiling they knew he could last.

**my fiancé.**

"EIIIIIIIII!" Esme and Alice tackled Edward YES HE GOES BACK! Edward sat still in shock, he goes back, he's getting married, she's going to forgive him.

Edward felt the hole in his heart gradually fill with what could only be love and tranquillity, he felt at peace for the first time since Bella got that paper cut. He was going to marry her, she would be completely his and no one else's. A huge smile came to his face and he suddenly had the urge to jump up and down like a child at Christmas.

**(there really was no getting around that truth with the wedding just days away). **

Esme and Edward beamed.

"**They aren't supposed to be available in Europe yet," the man went on, "let alone here."**

"Something tells me that isn't going to stop Edward," Jasper said looking at his dazed brother.

**While his eyes traced the contours of my car—it didn't look much different from any other Mercedes sedan to me, but what did I know?—I briefly contemplated my issues with words like fiancé, wedding, husband, etc.**

**I just couldn't put it together in my head.**

**On the one hand, I had been raised to cringe at the very thought of poofy white dresses and bouquets. But more than that, I just couldn't reconcile a staid, respectable, dull concept like husband with my concept of Edward. It was like casting an archangel as an accountant; I couldn't visualize him in any commonplace role.**

**Like always, as soon as I started thinking about Edward I was caught up in a dizzy spin of fantasies.**

Emmett started to laugh and Edward looked like he was having one of the same fantasies. Jasper stared at Edward not sure how he could be so close to Bella.

"Some ones going to get lucky soon," Emmett chortled, Rosalie quickly smacked him on the back of the head.

**The stranger had to clear his throat to get my attention; he was still waiting for an answer about the car's make and model.**

"**I don't know," I told him honestly.**

"**Do you mind if I take a picture with it?"**

**It took me a second to process that. "Really? You want to take a picture with the car?"**

"She really doesn't get it does she." Alice sighed she needed a car. _(she doesn't know about the...the... I can't spell it... the yellow car thing... argh!) as you can see I'm not a car person. _

"**Sure—nobody is going to believe me if I don't get proof."**

"**Um. Okay. Fine."**

**I swiftly put away the nozzle and crept into the front seat to hide while the enthusiast dug a huge professional-looking camera out of his backpack. He and his friend took turns posing by the hood, and then they went to take pictures at the back end.**

"**I miss my truck," I whimpered to myself.**

"And I was beginning to like her!" Rosalie huffed

Everyone shook their heads fondly. This human was weird.

**Very, very convenient—too convenient—that my truck would wheeze its last wheeze just weeks after Edward and I had agreed to our lopsided compromise, one detail of which was that he be allowed to replace my truck when it passed on.**

They all burst out laughing, and even Rosalie smiled. The invincible truck was finally defeated.

**Edward swore it was only to be expected; my truck had lived a long, full life and then expired of natural causes. According to him. And, of course, I had no way to verify his story or to try to raise my truck from the dead on my own. My favourite mechanic—**

**I stopped that thought cold, refusing to let it come to a conclusion.**

"What happened to her favourite mechanic?" Emmett said confused. Edward frowned Bella didn't know any mechanics...

**Instead, I listened to the men's voices outside, muted by the car walls.**

"**. . . went at it with a flamethrower in the online video. Didn't even pucker the paint."**

"**Of course not. You could roll a tank over this baby. Not much of a market for one over here. Designed for Middle East diplomats, arms dealers, and drug lords mostly."**

The room erupted into laughter.

"**Think she's something?" the short one asked in a softer voice. **

"She is more than just something," Edward muttered. Emmett looked at Edward sharply,

"You mean Bella is a drug lor-OW!"

**I ducked my head, cheeks flaming.**

"**Huh," the tall one said. "Maybe. Can't imagine what you'd need missile-proof glass and four thousand pounds of body armor for around here. Must be headed somewhere more hazardous."**

**Body armor. Four thousand pounds of body armor. And missile-proof glass?**

**Nice. What had happened to good old-fashioned bulletproof?** **Well, at least this made some sense—if you had a twisted sense of humor.**

Everyone laughed. Edward just shrugged she was a walking health hazard she probably needed bomb-proof.

**It wasn't like I hadn't expected Edward to take advantage of our deal, to weight it on his side so that he could give so much more than he would receive. I'd agreed that he could replace my truck when it needed replacing, not expecting that moment to come quite so soon, of course. When I'd been forced to admit that the truck had become no more than a still-life tribute to classic Chevys on my curb, I knew his idea of a replacement was probably going to embarrass me. Make me the focus of stares and whispers. I'd been right about that part. But even in my darkest imaginings I had not foreseen that he would get me two cars.**

"Two!" Rosalie said jumping up and down looking bizarrely like Alice? O.o

**The "before" car and the "after" car, he'd explained when I'd flipped out.**

**This was just the "before" car. He'd told me it was a loaner and promised that he was returning it after the wedding. It all had made absolutely no sense to me.**

**Until now.**

**Ha ha. Because I was so fragilely human, so accident-prone, so much a victim to my own dangerous bad luck, apparently I needed a tank-resistant car to keep me safe. Hilarious.**

"Hell yeah it is!" Emmett laughed

**I was sure he and his brothers had enjoyed the joke quite a bit behind my back.**

"We probably are," said Emmett and Jasper at the same time attempting to look serious. (and failing miserably)

**Or maybe, just maybe, a small voice whispered in my head, it's not a joke, silly.**

**Maybe he's really that worried about you. This wouldn't be the first time he's gone a little overboard trying to protect you.**

**I sighed.**

**I hadn't seen the "after" car yet. It was hidden under a sheet in the deepest corner of the Cullens' garage. I knew most people would have peeked by now, but I really didn't want to know.**

Rosalie stopped jumping up and down and looked like someone just stole her favourite Barbie.

**Probably no body armor on that car—because I wouldn't need it after the honeymoon. **

Everyone froze, what did that mean.

"Edward," muttered Rosalie ominously "_don't you dare do what I know you are thinking in the book of doing!" _ (she thought that by the way :D)

Carlisle looked calmly at his son, "She is your mate Edward it is clear to all of us that you wish to be with her forever."

"But for her to sacrifice her soul for someone like me! I left her to rot! In this book she has forgiven me which means that my leaving has done nothing but cause all of us pain!" Edwards thoughts turned to his sweet blushing Bella in pain, he could still picture her face horror struck as he said he didn't love her. The hole in his chest began grow again and he began to rock in his chair.

"How about I look and see what Bella's doing at the moment" Alice said trying to cheer everyone in the room up a bit. Edward turned to Alice a look of hope on his face, he nodded slowly focusing on Alice with as much attention as humanly...well vampirely possible.

Alice took a deep breath and focused on Bella.

.;'.;'';.;';.;';;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.'

Bella sat in the old rocking chair in her room, the room seemed different now more dark and melancholic. Bella's now dull brown eyes stared into space not really focusing on what was in front of her, she was paler than usual and had big black bags under her eyes. Her hair was knotted and looked lifeless, her frail looking arms were wrapped around her chest as if she was trying to keep herself from falling apart.

A single tear fell down from her face as her breathing became harsh, her arms tightened. Her eyes flashed to different places in the room mainly the window, the bed, the stereo and a black bag in the corner of the room. She pulled her legs up to her chest, and then Alice could see her figure. She was thin she looked as if she had lost 10 pound since they had left a month ago, which was bad because she looked delicate at the best of times.

Tears began to fall freely down Bella's gaunt face, as her face turned into one of total devastation.

"Edward" she sobbed, her hands gripped in her hair. Alice couldn't watch anymore so she stopped.

.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;'.;'.;';.;';.;';.;';.;'.;';.';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.;';.'.;';.;'.;'.;'

Edward was on his knees, he didn't remember how he got there but he was there now. He could hear Alice telling everyone what she had just saw but he couldn't focus on her, his thoughts were stuck on Bella. His beautiful angel was in pain she was still crying, she hadn't moved on she was clinging to him.

Everyone turned to look at Edward in horror, several of them looked rather angry. He had said they would be protecting her by leaving, that she would be safe but she clearly was not. The only thing that stopped Emmett from pummelling Edward was the fact that he was clearly just as broken as Bella.

"There's nothing we can do about this now, we shall continue the book and Edward WILL return to Bella," Carlisle looked directly at Edward he had had enough of his sons foolishness.

"I will" Edward muttered still looking like he had just witnessed something horrible, which in fact he had.

**Virtual indestructibility was just one of the many perks I was looking forward to. **

Rosalie hissed.

**The best parts about being a Cullen were not expensive cars and impressive credit cards.**

"Yeah, it's the strength," said Emmett and everybody glared at him this wasn't the time for him to try and raise his ego.

"**Hey," the tall man called, cupping his hands to the glass in an effort to peer in.**

"**We're done now. Thanks a lot!"**

"**You're welcome," I called back, and then tensed as I started the engine and eased the pedal—ever so gently—down. . . .**

**No matter how many times I drove down the familiar road home, I still couldn't make the rain-faded flyers fade into the background. Each one of them, stapled to telephone poles and taped to street signs, was like a fresh slap in the face. A well deserved slap in the face. My mind was sucked back into the thought I'd interrupted so immediately before. I couldn't avoid it on this road. Not with pictures of my favorite mechanic flashing past me at regular intervals.**

**My best friend. My Jacob.**

"Who's Jacob?" asked Rosalie.

WAIT WHAT! Jacob, as in Jacob Black the wolf. Oh no oh... crap.

"We have to back! He's a Black! He's from the reservation! He's a werewolf!" Edward said quickly his thoughts becoming frantic. Everyone immediately looked worried and looked at stared at Carlisle.

"Alice's vision said that Bella is currently catatonic she wouldn't have seen Jacob yet...right," Carlisle turned to Alice, who nodded confidently. Everyone breathed out and sat back in their chairs knowing that Bella was safe, physically at least.

**The HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY? posters were not Jacob's father's idea. It had been my father, Charlie, who'd printed up the flyers and spread them all over town.**

**And not just Forks, but Port Angeles and Sequim and Hoquiam and Aberdeen and every other town in the Olympic Peninsula. He'd made sure that all the police stations in the state of Washington had the same flyer hanging on the wall, too.**

**His own station had a whole corkboard dedicated to finding Jacob. A corkboard that was mostly empty, much to his disappointment and frustration.**

**My dad was disappointed with more than the lack of response. He was most disappointed with Billy, Jacob's father—and Charlie's closest friend.**

**For Billy's not being more involved with the search for his sixteen-year-old "runaway." For Billy's refusing to put up the flyers in La Push, the reservation on the coast that was Jacob's home. **

All the teenage vampires growled at the thought of the wolves.

**For his seeming resigned to Jacob's disappearance, as if there was nothing he could do. For his saying, "Jacob's grown up now. He'll come home if he wants to."**

Esme frowned, that wasn't something a father should say about his son.

**And he was frustrated with me, for taking Billy's side.**

**I wouldn't put up posters, either. Because both Billy and I knew where Jacob was, roughly speaking, and we also knew that no one had seen this boy.**

"Ugh, their back," said Rosalie. Edward gritted his teeth wanting to run back to Forks and protect Bella immediately.

**The flyers put the usual big, fat lump in my throat, the usual stinging tears in my eyes, and I was glad Edward was out hunting this Saturday. If Edward saw my reaction, it would only make him feel terrible, too.**

Edward suddenly stopped, did Bella have feelings for the mutt?

**Of course, there were drawbacks to it being Saturday. As I turned slowly and carefully onto my street, I could see my dad's police cruiser in the driveway of our home. **

**He'd skipped fishing again today. Still sulking about the wedding.**

Edward saddened, it looked like Charlie wouldn't like him anymore.

**So I wouldn't be able to use the phone inside. But I had to call. . . .**

**I parked on the curb behind the Chevy sculpture and pulled the cell phone Edward had given me for emergencies out of the glove compartment. I dialed, keeping my finger on the "end" button as the phone rang. Just in case.**

"**Hello?" Seth Clearwater answered, and I sighed in relief. I was way too chicken to speak to his older sister, Leah. The phrase "bite my head off" was not entirely a figure of speech when it came to Leah.**

"**Hey, Seth, it's Bella."**

"**Oh, hiya, Bella! How are you?"**

**Choked up. Desperate for reassurance. "Fine."**

"**Calling for an update?"**

"**You're psychic."**

"No he's not Alice," joked Emmett.

Rosalie hit him on the shoulder. Jasper frowned not liking the comparison.

"**Not hardly. I'm no Alice—**

All of our eyes widened. This wolf spoke as if they were friends. Weird?

**you're just predictable," he joked. Among the Quileute pack down at La Push, only Seth was comfortable even mentioning the Cullens by name, let alone joking about things like my nearly omniscient sister-in-law-to-be.**

"This wolf is different" Carlisle smiled at Esme, it looked like there could be peace after all.

"**I know I am." I hesitated for a minute. "How is he?"**

**Seth sighed. "Same as ever. He won't talk, though we know he hears us. He's trying not to think** **human, you know. Just going with his instincts."**

"**Do you know where he is now?"**

"**Somewhere in northern Canada. I can't tell you which province. He doesn't pay much attention to state lines."**

"**Any hint that he might . . ."**

"**He's not coming home, Bella. Sorry."**

"Good," said Rosalie.

**I swallowed. "S'okay, Seth. I knew before I asked. I just can't help wishing."**

"**Yeah. We all feel the same way."**

"**Thanks for putting up with me, Seth. I know the others must give you a hard time."**

"**They're not your hugest fans," he agreed cheerfully. "Kind of lame, I think. Jacob made his choices, you made yours.**

"I like him," smiled Edward.

"I wonder if I can challenge him to a fight, now he seems friendly with us," asked Emmett looking hopeful.

**Jake doesn't like their attitude about it. 'Course, he isn't super thrilled that you're checking up on him, either."**

**I gasped. "I thought he wasn't talking to you?"**

"**He can't hide everything from us, hard as he's trying."**

**So Jacob knew I was worried. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Well, at least he knew I hadn't** **skipped off into the sunset and forgotten him completely. He might have imagined me capable of that.**

"**I guess I'll see you at the…wedding," I said, forcing the word out through my teeth.**

"She invited a wolf," hissed Rosalie._ Imagine the smell_

Edward rolled his eyes, "he seems nice, calm down we'll put you on different sides of the alter."

"**Yeah, me and my mom will be there. It was cool of you to ask us."**

**I smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice. Though inviting the Clearwaters had been Edward's idea, I was glad he'd thought of it. Having Seth there would be nice—a link, however tenuous, to my missing best man. "It wouldn't be the same without you."**

"**Tell Edward I said hi, 'kay?"**

"Wow, this is beyond weird" said Alice looking slightly spooked.

"**Sure thing."**

**I shook my head. The friendship that had sprung up between Edward and Seth was something that still boggled my mind. It was proof, though, that things didn't have to be this way. That vampires and werewolves could get along just fine, thank you very much, if they were of a mind to.**

**Not everybody liked this idea.**

"I love it," said Esme, and Carlisle nodded.

Rosalie clearly didn't, Jasper looked a little iffy to.

"**Ah," Seth said, his voice cracking up an octave. "Er, Leah's home."**

"**Oh! Bye!"**

**The phone went dead. I left it on the seat and prepared myself mentally to go inside the house, where Charlie would be waiting.**

**My poor dad had so much to deal with right now. Jacob-the-runaway was just one of the straws on his overburdened back. He was almost as worried about me, his barely-a-legal-adult daughter who was about to become a Mrs. in just a few days' time.**

**I walked slowly through the light rain, remembering the night we'd told him. . . .**

"That must have been fun" laughed Emmett and Jasper.

**As the sound of Charlie's cruiser announced his return, the ring suddenly weighed a hundred pounds on my finger. I wanted to shove my left hand in a pocket, or maybe sit on it, but Edward's cool, firm grasp kept it front and center.**

"**Stop fidgeting, Bella. Please try to remember that you're not confessing to a murder here."**

"**Easy for you to say."**

**I listened to the ominous sound of my father's boots clomping up the sidewalk.**

**The key rattled in the already open door. The sound reminded me of that part of the horror movie when the victim realizes she's forgotten to lock her deadbolt.**

Everyone shook their heads at their really favourite human's antics.

"**Calm down, Bella," Edward whispered, listening to the acceleration of my heart.**

**The door slammed against the wall, and I flinched like I'd been Tasered.**

"**Hey, Charlie," Edward called, entirely relaxed.**

"**No!" I protested under my breath.**

"**What?" Edward whispered back.**

"**Wait till he hangs his gun up!"**

Everyone laughed.

**Edward chuckled and ran his free hand through his tousled bronze hair.**

**Charlie came around the corner, still in his uniform, still armed, and tried not to make a face when he spied us sitting together on the loveseat. Lately, he'd been putting forth a lot of effort to like Edward more. Of course, this revelation was sure to end that effort immediately.**

"**Hey, kids. What's up?"**

"**We'd like to talk to you," Edward said, so serene. "We have some good news."**

**Charlie's expression went from strained friendliness to black suspicion in a second.**

"**Good news?" Charlie growled, looking straight at me.**

"**Have a seat, Dad."**

"oh... here it comes" whispered Emmett on the edge of his seat.

**He raised one eyebrow, stared at me for five seconds, then stomped to the recliner and sat down on the very edge, his back ramrod straight.**

"**Don't get worked up, Dad," I said after a moment of loaded silence. "Everything's okay."**

Edward grimaced, great start Bella.

**Edward grimaced, and I knew it was in objection to the word okay. He probably would have used something more like wonderful or perfect or glorious.**

"That might have been what he was looking for Bells." Jasper chuckled.

"**Sure it is, Bella, sure it is. If everything is so great, then why are you sweating bullets?"**

Esme frowned.

"Why doesn't she want to marry Edward?" Esme asked.

"She's just nervous about her parents," Edward explained.

"**I'm not sweating," I lied.**

**I leaned away from his fierce scowl, cringing into Edward, and instinctively wiped the back of my right hand across my forehead to remove the evidence.**

"**You're pregnant!"**

Edward, Rosalie, and Esme sighed.

"I wish she was," said Edward, "I can't believe I'm going to take her life away."

"Stop with the self loathing Edward, please, your making me want to commit suicide." Jasper said flinching.

Edward nodded glumly and Rosalie glared at him shouting abuse in her mind.

**Charlie exploded. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"**

**Though the question was clearly meant for me, he was glaring at Edward now, and I could have sworn I saw his hand twitch toward the gun.**

Emmett snorted, imagine Charlie's reaction when the bullets would bounce off.

"**No! Of course I'm not!" I wanted to elbow Edward in the ribs, but I knew that move would only give me a bruise. I'd told Edward that people would immediately jump to this conclusion!** **What other possible reason would sane people have for getting married at eighteen?**

"Love," said Edward looking at the book as if it was obvious.

**(His answer then had made me roll my eyes. Love. Right.)**

They all giggled at Edward's face it seemed he didn't change much in the near future.

**Charlie's glower lightened a shade. It was usually pretty clear on my face when I was telling the truth, and he believed me now. "Oh. Sorry."**

"**Apology accepted."**

**There was a long pause. After a moment, I realized everyone was waiting for me to say something. I looked up at Edward, panic-stricken. There was no way I was going to get the words out.**

**He smiled at me and then squared his shoulders and turned to my father.**

"**Charlie, I realize that I've gone about this out of order. Traditionally, I should have asked you first. I mean no disrespect, but since Bella has already said yes and I don't want to diminish her choice in the matter, instead of asking you for her hand, I'm asking you for your blessing. We're getting married, Charlie. I love her more than anything in the world, more than my own life, and—by some miracle—she loves me that way, too. Will you give us your blessing?"**

Esme beamed, "that was stunning!"

Edward smiled broadly, maybe that will win Charlie over.

**He sounded so sure, so calm. For just an instant, listening to the absolute confidence in his voice, I experienced a rare moment of insight. I could see, fleetingly, the way the world looked to him. For the length of one heartbeat, this news made perfect sense.**

**And then I caught sight of the expression on Charlie's face, his eyes now locked on the ring.**

"dah dah dahhhh!," smiled Emmett.

**I held my breath while his skin changed colors—fair to red, red to purple, purple to blue.**

"hey look Charlie's turning into a rainb-0W" Emmett rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

**I started to get up—I'm not sure what I planned to do; maybe use the Heimlich maneuver to make sure he wasn't choking—but Edward squeezed my hand and murmured "Give him a minute" so low that only I could hear.**

**The silence was much longer this time. Then, gradually, shade by shade, Charlie's color returned to normal. His lips pursed, and his eyebrows furrowed; I recognized his "deep in thought" expression. He studied the two of us for a long moment, and I felt Edward relax at my side.**

"**Guess I'm not that surprised," Charlie grumbled. "Knew I'd have to deal with something like this soon enough."**

**I exhaled.**

"**You sure about this?" Charlie demanded, glaring at me.**

"**I'm one hundred percent sure about Edward," I told him without missing a beat.**

Everyone smiled at that. Edward looked like he was about to burst not believing he could actually deserve this angel.

"**Getting married, though? What's the rush?" He eyed me suspiciously again.**

**The rush was due to the fact that I was getting closer to nineteen every stinking day,**

Edward's smile disappeared and he groaned, he was having a happy moment and now it was gone.

**while Edward stayed frozen in all his seventeen-year-old perfection, as he had for over ninety years. Not that this fact necessitated marriage in my book, but the wedding was required due to the delicate and tangled compromise Edward and I had made to finally get to this point, the brink of my transformation from mortal to immortal.**

**These weren't things I could explain to Charlie.**

"**We're going away to Dartmouth together in the fall, Charlie," Edward reminded him. "I'd like to do that, well, the right way. It's how I was raised." He shrugged.**

**He wasn't exaggerating; they'd been big on old-fashioned morals during World War I.**.

Everyone snickered at that. They really missed Bella's sense of humour.

**Charlie's mouth twisted to the side. Looking for an angle to argue from. But what could he say? I'd prefer you live in sin first? He was a dad; his hands were tied.**

A few people laughed, imagining Charlie's face.

"**Knew this was coming," he muttered to himself, frowning. Then, suddenly, his face went perfectly smooth and blank.**

"**Dad?" I asked anxiously. I glanced at Edward, but I couldn't read his face, either, as he watched Charlie.**

"**Ha!" Charlie exploded. I jumped in my seat. "Ha, ha, ha!"**

They all looked at each other confused.

"Why is he laughing?" asked Jasper.

Everyone shrugged looking at the book weirdly.

**I stared incredulously as Charlie doubled over in laughter; his whole body shook with it.**

**I looked at Edward for a translation, but Edward had his lips pressed tightly together, like he was trying to hold back laughter himself.**

"**Okay, fine," Charlie choked out. "Get married." Another roll of laughter shook through him. "But . . ."**

"**But what?" I demanded.**

"**But you have to tell your mom! I'm not saying one word to Renée! That's all yours!" He busted into loud guffaws.**

"Why wouldn't she want to tell her mom?"

Everyone turned to Edward,

"I'm sure it will explain."

**I paused with my hand on the doorknob, smiling. Sure, at the time, Charlie's words had terrified me. The ultimate doom: telling Renée. Early marriage was higher up on her blacklist than boiling live puppies.**

"Wonder why," mused Esme.

"Renee married young she must have drilled it into Bella's head that marrying young is bad," said Jasper thoughtfully.

**Who could have foreseen her response? Not me. Certainly not Charlie. Maybe Alice, but I hadn't thought to ask her.**

Alice nodded.

"**Well, Bella," Renée had said after I'd choked and stuttered out the impossible words: Mom, I'm marrying Edward. "I'm a little miffed that you waited so long to tell me. Plane tickets only get more expensive. Oooh," she'd fretted. "Do you think Phil's cast will be off by then? It will spoil the pictures if he's not in a tux—"**

"**Back up a second, Mom." I'd gasped. "What do you mean, waited so long? I just got en-en . . ."—I'd been unable to force out the word engaged—"things settled, you know, today."**

"**Today? Really? That is a surprise. I assumed . . ."**

"**What did you assume? When did you assume?"**

"**Well, when you came to visit me in April,**

"Must have went up there with bella" Edward said. He smiled thinking about Bella being able to use the tickets Esme got for her...birthday.

**it looked like things were pretty much sewn up, if you know what I mean. You're not very hard to read, sweetie. But I didn't say anything because I knew it wouldn't do any good. You're exactly like Charlie." She'd sighed, resigned. "Once you make up your mind, there is no reasoning with you. Of course, exactly like Charlie, you stick by your decisions, too."**

Esme smiled, "Even if she doesn't approve of marrying young, she must have seen you and Bella's relationship is much stronger than hers and Charlie's." Esme chuckled, "And what mother wouldn't want her daughter to marry for love."

**And then she'd said the last thing that I'd ever expected to hear from my mother.**

"**You're not making my mistakes, Bella. You sound like you're scared silly, and I'm guessing it's because you're afraid of me." She'd giggled. "Of what I'm going to think. And I know I've said a lot of things about marriage and stupidity—and I'm not taking them back—but you need to realize that those things specifically applied to me. You're a completely different person than I am. You make your own kinds of mistakes, and I'm sure you'll have your share of regrets in life. But commitment was never your problem, sweetie. You have a better chance of making this work than most forty-year-olds I know." Renée had laughed again.**

"**My little middle-aged child. Luckily, you seem to have found another old soul."**

Emmett snorted, "yeah it's funny how much you to are meant for each other"

"**You're not… mad? You don't think I'm making a humongous mistake?"**

"**Well, sure, I wish you'd wait a few more years. I mean, do I look old enough to be a mother-in-law to you? Don't answer that. But this isn't about me. This is about you. Are you happy?"**

"**I don't know. I'm having an out-of-body experience right now."**

**Renée had chuckled. "Does he make you happy, Bella?"**

"**Yes, but—"**

Everyone smiled. Rosalie gave up and joined in, this girl was obviously made with her brother in mind

"**Are you ever going to want anyone else?"**

"**No, but—"**

Everyone's smiles got wider.

"**But what?"**

"**But aren't you going to say that I sound exactly like every other infatuated teenager since the dawn of time?"**

"**You've never been a teenager, sweetie. You know what's best for you."**

**For the last few weeks, Renée had unexpectedly immersed herself in wedding plans. She'd spent hours every day on the phone with Edward's mother, Esme— no worries about the in-laws getting along. **

Esme looked thrilled to have a new friend, not having met Renee in Phoenix.

**Renée adored Esme, but then, I doubted anyone could help responding that way to my lovable almost-mother-in-law.**

Esme's face shone with love for her youngest daughter, she couldn't wait until the wedding.

**It let me right off the hook. Edward's family and my family were taking care of the nuptials together without my having to do or know or think too hard about any of it.**

**Charlie was furious, of course, but the sweet part was that he wasn't furious at me. Renée was the traitor.**

Emmett and Jasper laughed at that, they didn't know Charlie but from what they had read he sounded like a good guy.

**He'd counted on her to play the heavy. What could he do now, when his ultimate threat—telling Mom—had turned out to be utterly empty? He had nothing, and he knew it. So he moped around the house, muttering things about not being able to trust anyone in this world. . . .**

"**Dad?" I called as I pushed open the front door. "I'm home."**

"**Hold on, Bells, stay right there."**

"**Huh?" I asked, pausing automatically.**

"**Gimme a second. Ouch, you got me, Alice."**

"Yay I must be doing clothes for the wedding." Alice froze and turned to Esme and Rosalie Horror struck.

"What if the book describes the dress and the groom hears." The females turned to Edward in slow motion looking as if they had just been told that he eat Bambi's mom. (Which he probably had.) Edward rolled his eyes not really caring about the dress only wanting the girl inside.

**Alice?**

"**Sorry, Charlie," Alice's trilling voice responded. "How's that?"**

"**I'm bleeding on it."**

"**You're fine. Didn't break the skin—trust me."**

"**What's going on?" I demanded, hesitating in the doorway.**

Alice bounced up and down.

"**Humph," Charlie added.**

**I tapped my foot, counting each beat. Before I got to thirty, Alice said, "Okay, Bella, come in!"**

**Moving with caution, I rounded the little corner into our living room.**

"**Oh," I huffed. "Aw. Dad. Don't you look—"**

"**Silly?" Charlie interrupted.**

"**I was thinking more like debonair."**

**Charlie blushed. Alice took his elbow and tugged him around into a slow spin to showcase the pale gray tux.**

Alice was going through colour schemes that went with pale grey tuxes.

"**Now cut that out, Alice. I look like an idiot."**

"**No one dressed by me ever looks like an idiot."**

"A truer statement has never been said" Alice nodded seriously.

"**She's right, Dad. You look fabulous! What's the occasion?"**

Everyone chuckled at the really lame joke.

**I peeled my gaze off the unusually elegant Charlie for the first time and saw the dreaded white garment bag laid carefully across the sofa.**

Every girl in the room moved forward in their seats subconsciously. Edward smiled dreamily of his angel in white.

"**Aaah."**

"**Go to your happy place, Bella. It won't take long."**

**I sucked in a deep breath and closed my eyes. Keeping them shut, I stumbled my way up the stairs to my room. I stripped down to my underwear **

If Edward was human he would be blushing.

**and held my arms straight out.**

"**You'd think I was shoving bamboo splinters under your nails," Alice muttered to herself as she followed me in.**

**I paid no attention to her. I was in my happy place.**

**In my happy place, the whole wedding mess was over and done. Behind me.**

**Already repressed and forgotten.**

**We were alone, just Edward and me. The setting was fuzzy and constantly in flux—it morphed from misty forest to cloud-covered city to arctic night—because Edward was keeping the location of our honeymoon a secret to surprise me. But I wasn't especially concerned about the where part.**

Emmett smiled creepily at Edward and started speaking through his thoughts.

"Stop Emmett please!" Edward begged his head in his hands trying to stop the images in his head.

**Edward and I were together, and I'd fulfilled my side of our compromise perfectly. I'd married him. That was the big one. But I'd also accepted all his outrageous gifts and was registered, however futilely, to attend Dartmouth College in the fall. Now it was his turn.**

Everyone laughed at the look on Edwards face. Wow this girl was stubborn.

**Before he turned me into a vampire—his big compromise—he had one other stipulation to make good on.**

**Edward had an obsessive sort of concern over the human things that I would be giving up, the experiences he didn't want me to miss. Most of them—like the prom, for example—seemed silly to me. There was only one human experience I worried about missing. Of course it would be the one he wished I would forget completely.**

"Why would you want her to forget it, it's a way of life, it's makes you stronger as mates and when you are in love it ties you together as one. How can you not want that!"

Everyone turned to Emmett not believing those words of wisdom came from his lips.

"of course I want it Emmett, but she is human I could kill her" Edward grumbled looking down, why couldn't he be stronger.

**Here was the thing, though. I knew a little about what I was going to be like when I wasn't human anymore. I'd seen newborn vampires firsthand**

"What?" we all called out shocked. When the hell had that happened?

**, and I'd heard all my family-to-be's stories about those wild early days.**

Rosalie grimaced looks like she told Bella her past.

**For several years, my biggest personality trait was going to be thirsty. It would take some time before I could be me again. And even when I was in control of myself, I would never feel exactly the way I felt now.**

"That's not exactly true," said Carlisle. "Your feelings would just be magnified."

**Human… and passionately in love.**

**I wanted the complete experience before I traded in my warm, breakable, pheromone-riddled body for something beautiful, strong… and unknown. I wanted a real honeymoon with Edward. And, despite the danger he feared this would put me in, he'd agreed to try.**

"No," groaned Edward, "it's too dangerous!"

**I was only vaguely aware of Alice and the slip and slide of satin over my skin. I didn't care, for the moment, that the whole town was talking about me. I didn't think about the spectacle I would have to star in much too soon. I didn't worry about tripping on my train or giggling at the wrong moment or being too young or the staring audience or even the empty seat where my best friend should be.**

**I was with Edward in my happy place.**

Esme and Alice sighed happily, things had turned out right thank goodness.

"I think we should have a little break, Edward no offence but you really stink of mould" Alice said her nose wrinkled cutely.

Edward looked down at the clothes he had been wearing for the last 2 weeks. He headed up stairs...

**.**

**I'm sorry it took so long my computer turned off by itself and I lost my chapters to this story and my other one.**

**Okay please review and tell me if I should bring Bella into the story.**

**TA TA for now!**


End file.
